Author Topic: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing  (Read 15433 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/05/antares-aj-26-engine-fails-stennis-testing/

This is a developing story out of L2. I'll make additions to the article as further information arrives.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11190
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 8821
  • Likes Given: 7823
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #1 on: 05/22/2014 10:19 pm »
Great article Chris.  Always a great site to get immediate news.
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline arachnitect

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1553
  • Liked: 501
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #2 on: 05/22/2014 10:32 pm »
super dang.

Stress corrosion cracking again?

Offline Lars_J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6160
  • California
  • Liked: 677
  • Likes Given: 195
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #3 on: 05/22/2014 10:46 pm »
Hopefully this will not set back Orbital's schedule too much.

This - and SpaceX's delays - is why it is so important to have two contracted cargo delivery services.

Offline jongoff

  • Recovering Rocket Plumber/Space Entrepreneur
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6807
  • Lafayette/Broomfield, CO
  • Liked: 3987
  • Likes Given: 1684
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #4 on: 05/22/2014 11:13 pm »
Hopefully this will not set back Orbital's schedule too much.

This - and SpaceX's delays - is why it is so important to have two contracted cargo delivery services.

Hopefully Congress in its not-so-infinite wisdom learns from this and lets NASA continue with having at least two CC providers...

~Jon

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #5 on: 05/22/2014 11:23 pm »
Hopefully this will not set back Orbital's schedule too much.

This - and SpaceX's delays - is why it is so important to have two contracted cargo delivery services.

Hopefully Congress in its not-so-infinite wisdom learns from this and lets NASA continue with having at least two CC providers...

~Jon
You would think... ::)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #6 on: 05/23/2014 12:03 am »
Latest rev of the article, with confirmation from Aeroject Rocketdyne:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/05/antares-aj-26-engine-fails-stennis-testing/

Importantly, no one was injured.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline robertross

  • Canadian Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17939
  • Westphal, Nova Scotia
  • Liked: 659
  • Likes Given: 7692
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #7 on: 05/23/2014 12:36 am »
Latest rev of the article, with confirmation from Aeroject Rocketdyne:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/05/antares-aj-26-engine-fails-stennis-testing/

Importantly, no one was injured.

Really good article Chris. Logged right in after reading it to check L2 and this thread.

Unfortunate situation, but as others pointed out: thankfully it happened in testing, and nobody hurt.

This is why you test.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #8 on: 05/23/2014 12:48 am »
Yep, absolutely. Was saying to one of the people working with these engines that it's better it has a tantrum on the test stand and not half way uphill.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Halidon

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 848
  • whereabouts unknown
  • Liked: 180
  • Likes Given: 533
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #9 on: 05/23/2014 12:51 am »
Very glad to hear nobody was injured, Stennis professionals know how to do their jobs safely and it shows. As much as any failure is a bad day for someone, it's an important reminder about why the stands are good to have around.

Offline hpras

  • Member
  • Posts: 77
  • Liked: 42
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #10 on: 05/23/2014 04:05 am »
Yep, as my dad used to say, so long as no one was hurt, the rest is just money.

Online docmordrid

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6334
  • Michigan
  • Liked: 4207
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #11 on: 05/23/2014 05:16 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
DM

Offline kevin-rf

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8823
  • Overlooking the path Mary's little Lamb took..
  • Liked: 1318
  • Likes Given: 306
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #12 on: 05/23/2014 05:27 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?

Why, Solids can also fail...
If you're happy and you know it,
It's your med's!

Offline mgfitter

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 107
  • Liked: 19
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #13 on: 05/23/2014 05:49 pm »
It would be interesting to see how much damage the test stand received during this failure.

Any chance NASA might release some photo's of the E stand once the engine (sensitive hardware) has been removed?

-MG

Offline edkyle99

  • Expert
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15391
    • Space Launch Report
  • Liked: 8566
  • Likes Given: 1356
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #14 on: 05/23/2014 06:11 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
Orbital already knows that it has to replace NK-33 with something after 2016 or thereabouts.  That something could be RD-181 or solids or something else.  This test failure doesn't change anything in that regard.

 - Ed Kyle   

Offline baldusi

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8356
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Liked: 2539
  • Likes Given: 8273
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #15 on: 05/23/2014 06:34 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
Orbital already knows that it has to replace NK-33 with something after 2016 or thereabouts.  That something could be RD-181 or solids or something else.  This test failure doesn't change anything in that regard.

 - Ed Kyle
If this failure is indicative of a 20% failure rate for their 40 engine stock, it might move the need to replace to the left.

Offline JasonAW3

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2443
  • Claremore, Ok.
  • Liked: 410
  • Likes Given: 14
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #16 on: 05/23/2014 06:50 pm »
Well, that's what test stand hot firing engines is for.  To catch any anomilies before they launch the main craft with a protetil defective bird.
My God!  It's full of universes!

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8755
  • Liked: 4673
  • Likes Given: 768
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #17 on: 05/23/2014 07:18 pm »
It would be interesting to see how much damage the test stand received during this failure.

Any chance NASA might release some photo's of the E stand once the engine (sensitive hardware) has been removed?

-MG
That is very unlikely to be provided to the media or the public from a NASA POV. If a public guest was present for the test it would be a little more likely unless NASA, Orbital, and/or Aerojet Rocketdyne prohibit it from being published/uploaded or sue to have it removed.

Note: Images of the past failure were not made public at the request of Aerojet.
« Last Edit: 05/23/2014 07:19 pm by russianhalo117 »

Online LouScheffer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3383
  • Liked: 6111
  • Likes Given: 837
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #18 on: 05/23/2014 07:56 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
Orbital already knows that it has to replace NK-33 with something after 2016 or thereabouts.  That something could be RD-181 or solids or something else.  This test failure doesn't change anything in that regard.

 - Ed Kyle   
Assuming the engine cannot be repaired, and Orbital/ATK would like continual service to ISS, it moves the deadline closer by a few months.

Offline edkyle99

  • Expert
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15391
    • Space Launch Report
  • Liked: 8566
  • Likes Given: 1356
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #19 on: 05/24/2014 04:36 am »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
Orbital already knows that it has to replace NK-33 with something after 2016 or thereabouts.  That something could be RD-181 or solids or something else.  This test failure doesn't change anything in that regard.

 - Ed Kyle   
Assuming the engine cannot be repaired, and Orbital/ATK would like continual service to ISS, it moves the deadline closer by a few months.
My understanding is that Aerojet had some excess NK-33 engines that could be assigned to this first contract if needed. 

 - Ed Kyle

Offline Jason A

  • Member
  • Posts: 53
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 0

Offline Prober

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10348
  • Save the spin....I'm keeping you honest!
  • Nevada
  • Liked: 721
  • Likes Given: 729
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #21 on: 05/24/2014 03:30 pm »
I assume this will expedite a decision on possibly using an ATK (Dark Knight based?) solid for S1?
Orbital already knows that it has to replace NK-33 with something after 2016 or thereabouts.  That something could be RD-181 or solids or something else.  This test failure doesn't change anything in that regard.

 - Ed Kyle   
Assuming the engine cannot be repaired, and Orbital/ATK would like continual service to ISS, it moves the deadline closer by a few months.
My understanding is that Aerojet had some excess NK-33 engines that could be assigned to this first contract if needed. 

 - Ed Kyle

After the investigation I'm more than willing to remove the scrap metal  ;D
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

Offline catdlr

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11190
  • Enthusiast since the Redstones
  • Marina del Rey, California, USA
  • Liked: 8821
  • Likes Given: 7823
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #22 on: 05/24/2014 09:14 pm »
Just a bit more news:

http://www.sunherald.com/2014/05/23/5596901/no-one-injured-in-hot-fire-engine.html

Quote
Officials say the test started at 2 p.m. Thursday. About 30 seconds into the planned 54-second test, the rocket engine used in the Antares launch vehicle first stage "terminated prematurely, resulting in extensive damage to the engine."

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/05/23/5596901/no-one-injured-in-hot-fire-engine.html#storylink=cpy
« Last Edit: 05/24/2014 09:14 pm by catdlr »
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline AJA

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
  • Per Aspera Ad Ares, Per Aspera Ad Astra
  • India
  • Liked: 146
  • Likes Given: 212
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #23 on: 07/14/2014 09:37 am »
So, did they have a root cause for this nailed down before the ORB-2 launch? I know that the AJ-26s on Antares 4 passed their testing, but wouldn't you like to rule out commonality? The ones used in Antares-4 (which did, indeed, perform without hiccup) might've passed testing, as well as the flight itself - despite being out of design parameters..?

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: Antares AJ-26 engine fails during Stennis testing
« Reply #24 on: 07/14/2014 10:51 am »
So, did they have a root cause for this nailed down before the ORB-2 launch?

They wouldn't have launched unless they were convinced they nailed it down. They did borescope inspections of these engines to verify they weren't affected by whatever that was AFAIK.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0